In the absence of Seinfeld reruns...

"What I've Been Reading Lately on My Trip"

A short list by Sarah Moran

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"Under the Banner of Heaven" - Jon Krakauer
The true (or false, depending on who you talk to) bizarreness that is the Mormon Fundamentalist Church. Nonfiction. For the record, I read it before Warren Jeffs was arrested by the FBI, and felt kind of cool and "in the know" when I heard about his demise recently on CNN International. Yes, I felt this way about some kook who married 50 women. I have issues.

"The Sparrow" - Mary Doria Russell
Can't decide if this novel was too far-fetched in a good way or a bad way. In a nutshell, about a troubled priest who goes to an alien planet in search of God. I'd put it on the science-fiction shelf, though it's also rather heavy-handed on the religion front. Also, there is no sparrow, which sucks.

"The Tortilla Curtain" - T.C. Boyle
When I traded in for this book at the exchange in Moscow, Brendan did one of these: "Ooooh, T.C. Boyle. I'm a big fan. I have all his books at home." Of course he'd never heard of this one. About prejudice and racial tension in California between middle and lower classes, in this case the latter also being Mexican. Not a bad read, and also not too far off the mark. I'm from California and grew up with this stuff.

"White Teeth" - Zadie Smith
Excellent, excellent novel that spans a time period of many decades, involving several immigrant families in London and the tangled webs their lives have become. Admittedly, I abandoned it after a few pages at first because I thought it was going to be something totally different, but I'm glad I went back for more. This is the kind of book that makes you fantasize about the author and what kind of freakshow their mental state must be have been to have written something so incredible. You know, like how all the best math students or chess players have terrible eyesight or are still breastfeeding at nine or something wacky like that, and the best comedians are the ones with the saddest childhoods and the worst drug problems. The best writers are obviously the true crazies, god love 'em.

"A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius" - Dave Eggers
Memoir of a normal guy from Chicagoland with a particularly sad/scary/funny history who moves to the Bay Area with his siblings and lots of baggage. I enjoyed his book because he writes like I think...utterly manic, all over the place, yet somehow articulate and profound and easy to relate to (yes, I really feel this way about my own thinking patterns. I have issues). I'd love to take this Dave guy out to lunch. Dave, let's do lunch. I think you live near my mom.

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About the Author

Sarah Moran, formerly Sarah Lane, graduated from Sebastopol, California's Apple Blossom Elementary School at the top of her class, and was a junior high cheerleader for the Twin Hills Panthers before landing a starring role as an apathetic teen on "Analy High School", a four-year series. She has won no writing awards to date, unless you count that one in 3rd grade (and she does). Sarah currently lives in a mildew-covered hotel room in Vientiane, Laos, with her husband and beloved backpack.

Comments

[Text Pirate]

Who doesn't have issues.

I laughed when I realized you were refering to your high school as a television series. We are all bit parts in someone elses play.

"White Teeth" sounds good. I'll go to the library and check that out.

[SFI]

Hi Sarah :-) Thanks for the update! Take care!

(honestreporting.com/a/archive.asp)

[Patty]

Thanx for the tips

[Ashlea]

You're the second person to recommend Under the Banner of Heaven. I'm definately going to pick it up.

Although you probably won't be able to get it on your trip, check out The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenberger. :c)

[Sherman]

You should also read Krakauer's book about his doomed Everest expedition, Into Thin Air, excellent read....I am enjoying the blog, I envy you guys....

[Darlajo]

Hey Sarah, I'm glad to see you posting something else besides travel blogs.Plus I really like seeing what other people are reading and what they think about the books.Keep up the good work and have fun in your travels.

[Don]

The travel channel has a section were you can submit your travel videos. It would be cool to see Sarah and Brendan's travels on tv. It would probly be similar to Global Trekker.

[Clintus]

Great list Sarah and I'm loving your videos. Keep em coming.

[bigbluemachine]

...Like Global Trecker just infinately better. I would watch the Traveling Morans and even delete my Simpsons episodes from the DVR to make space for it...now hurry up and get it on the air ((just don't let it be on that one channel, you know which one))

[s0m31]

Books are good, I like books. Thanks for the list.

-John-

[Don]

It would be alot better then Global Trekker! If I were Travel Channel I would be trying to purchase these podcast! Plus, Sarah has a built-in audience. Let's get this on tv Sarah!

[Em]

Yay, book post! And Yay, Eggers! He has a tutoring program/pirate store here in SF! If you haven't read it yet, check out his novel, "You Shall know Our Velocity." It involves worldwide travel by optimistic young people, so yeah. I totally get the writing style love, and I have to admit that after reading an Eggers book my inner monologue sounds like him for about a week. So if you start narrating your life in your head as it happens in a vaguely meandering, postmodern style, lay off the Dave for a bit.

[Harvey]

Hey Sarah, did you finish "The Sparrow"? I thought it was a pretty decent book. The scene in the book where the priest gets his "epiphany" is the only time I have ever actually stopped, put a book down and said "damn". Took me a few minutes to pick back up again. There is also a sequel, but i heard it wasn't that good.

[Matt]

Wow, your thinking patterns match mine... really.

I've ordered that Eggers book. I love discovering a new author that just clicks.

Thanks for sharing.